Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 789,319. PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

' H. F. GAINES.

AOBTYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 2a, 1903.

Patented May 9, 1905.

FFTQFW HIRAM F. GAINES, OF ROUSE POINT, NEW YORK.

ACETYLENE-"GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,319, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed March 28, 1903. Serial No. 149,962.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HIRAM. F. GAINns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rouse Point, in the county of Clinton and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas (jrenerators, of which the following is a specification.

The general object of this invention is to provide an acetylene-gas machine that shall be simple, entirely safe, and certain and uniform in its action, and particularly a machine such that any disturbance of the ordinary and proper conditions, whether by carelessness, through ignorance, or otherwise shall merely cause gas to be lost by discharge into the open air.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, parts being in section, showing the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view,a part only of the gas-holder being shown. Fig. 8 is a detail view.

In the views, A represents a generator, B a gas-holder, and C a carbid-receptacle above the generator. The body or water-receptacle D of the generator is suitably supported at some distance above the base of the gas-holder, to which it is attached by the plates D as well as by pipes which connect'the two and usually by the base upon which the two are supported. The upper part of this generator-body is smaller than the lower part, and upon it is rigidly secured the carbid receptacle or hopper 0. ater is supplied to the generator through a funnel I) and a pipe l)", provided with a valve 1.), the top of the funnel being below the top of the generator, so that the latter cannot be entirely lilled with water. At the bottom of the generator is a valve D which is opened whenever the water and sediment are to be discharged. The gas generated normally passes through a pipe E to the holder, and this pipe has a branch E provided with a normally closed valve E and communicating through a pipe E" with the external air. The valve E bears a target E, which is connected with the valve D by a link I) and an arm D so arranged that opening movement of the valve 1) raises the target, and thus opens the venting-valve E, allowing any gas in the generator to pass to the open air. From the valve D an arm 1) extends upward, and the'target normally rests loosely in a fork in its upper end, whereby opening this valve also necessarily raises the target and opens the vent-valve. The small upper part of the generator has in front a large opening, which is hermetically closed when the machine is in use by a plate D and is provided at the top with a flange F. Between this flange and the corresponding flange F of the downwardlyopen carbid-receptacle is clamped a plate F, having a central opening normally closed by a downwardly-closing conical valve F. Upon the plate rests the downwaidly-open carbidreceptacle, and above the opening in the plate is fixed a conical hood I or partition, partially dividing the hopper into an upper compartment for storing carbid and a lower compartment in which the valve operates. The hood or partition is supported from the plate by arms 1 and has at its upper end a sleeve 1 to serve as a guide for the upper portion F of the valve-stem. The carbid-receptacle is thus in no way connected or attached to the parts within it, and it may be removed without displacing those parts. Below the valve F is mounted a horizontal rock-shaft G, which passes out of the generator through a gland or stuiling-box ir. To an arm Gr" on this shaft is pivoted the lower end Fof the valvestem, and upon the outer end' of the rockshaft is iixed an arm (1%, jointed at (i and projecting into the path of a trip G, lixed to and moving with the bell of the gas'holder. A pawl J normally engages a catch J and prevents the arm from swinging downward about its pivot G Upon the opposite side of this end of the rock-shaft projects a rigid arm H, which serves as a counterweight and which may bear a weight H, adjustable in distance from the shaft and adapted to aid the tendency of the arm to rock the shaft forward and resist the action of the bell in depressing the arm G The parts are so proportioned and arranged that when through consumption of gas therein the bell descends the trip Gr engages the end of the arm G rocking the shaft rearward and lifting the valve F. This allows carbid to fall into the generator, and l with a valve and ahopper, the hopper having the resulting gas passing to the bell reverses two Compartments partially separated by a its motion, lifting it from the arm G and all lowing gravity to close the valve F. The action is repeated indefinitely so long as the supply of carbid is not exhausted, the open ing of the valve F always occurring before the gas in the holder is entirely exhausted. If through exhaustion of the carbid insufiicient gas is supplied at any time, the surplus stored in the holder will be gradually consumed and the bell will fall below its normal path. hen this occurs, the pawl J strikes upon a stop, in this instance shown as the pipe E, and is disengaged from its catch, thereby allowing the arm Gr to flex at its joint. Gravity then instantly rocks the shaft forward, closing the valve F and putting the machine out of operation.

The carbid-receptacle is closed by a screwcap K, which is connected to the target E by a chain passing through a guide K on the receptacle C, the arrangement being such that the cap cannot be unscrewed without raising the target, and thus opening the vent-valve E.

The arms of the rock-shaft Gare angularly adjustable thereon, so that the opening of the valve F may be made to occur at any point in the descent of the bell.

It is to be noted that the valve F would close automatically without the aid of the arm H and its weight H, which merely increase the closing force. Because this valve closes downwardly it always remains closed except when positively lifted by extraneous force and instantly closes when such force ceases to act. The construction described insures keeping the valve F exactly in line whether open or closed, and hence the width ofthe opening is always uniform on all sides of the cone, and as the cones larger end is vertically above the opening no carbid would escape were the valve kept slightly above its seat by a lump or other hindrance to perfect closure. The hood serves as a guide for the valve, a shield preventing the mass of the carbid from pressing upon the valve and a spreader tending to distribute the mass uniformly on all sides of the cone.

The holder is not herein described or claimed; but it may be remarked that its construction is such that should the'valve F remain open too long or should an excess of gas be for any reason generated the excess would escape by the pipe E". Since this is true and since as the description shows the carbid-receptacle and generator cannot be opened for any purpose without opening the vent-valve, it follows that there is no probability that gas will escape into the room where the apparatus is installed, whether the machine be op erated under proper conditions and by competent persons or otherwise.

What I claim is 1. In a gas apparatus, a generator provided partition the upper compartment for the storage of material from which the gas is evolved and a lower compartment aflordingspace within which a valve operates, a valve having a smaller or reduced end within the generator and a larger end thereof within the lower compartment of the hopper and means for operating the valve.

2. In an apparatus for making gas, a generator having a hopper provided with two compartments the upper for the storage of the material from which the gas is made and the lower compartment affording space within which a valve reciprocates, the said valve provided with a reduced end which is located within the generator and an upper and larger end of the valve within the lower compartment of the hopper, and means for reciprocating the valve.

3. In a gas apparatus, a generator provided with a hopper having two compartments partially separated by a partition, a cone-shaped valve, the smaller end thereof projecting into the generator, and the upper end of the valve within the lower compartment of the hopper, a gasometer connected with the generator and means for operating the valve.

at. The combination with a generator, of a carbid-reeeptacle above the same and communicating therewith through a central opening, a downwardly-tapere :l valve in said opening and projecting above and below the same with its larger end in said receptacle, and means for raising and lowering the valve.

5. The combination with a generator, of a carbid-receptacle detachably fixed upon the generator, a plate separating the receptacle and generator and having a feed-opening, a downwardly-tapered valve normally closing the opening and lying partly in each of the spaces separated by the plate, a hood supported independently of the receptacle and above the path of the valve, and means for reciprocating the valve.

6. The combination with a generator, of a carbid-receptacle fixed thereon, a centrallyperforated partition separating the spaces within the receptacle and generator, a tapered valve having its smaller end projecting downward through the perforation into said generator, a valve-protecting hood mounted within the receptacle upon the perforated partition and independent of the receptacle-walls, and provided with a guide for the valve-stem, to hold the valve central in its perforation, devices connected to the lower part of the valve to reciprocate it, a gasometer, and means whereby the movement of the gasometer-bell actuates said devices.

7. The combination with a generator having a filling-funnel, a water-discharging valve, a pipe leading to the open air, and a pipe for conveying away for use the gas generated, of

IZO

a carbid-receptacle mounted above the generator, a screw-closure for the receptacle, a valve controlling the flow in the pipe leading to the open air, a target forming an operating-arm for the valve last mentioned, a link connecting the target with the filling-valve, a forked rod connected to the discharge-valve and engaging the target, and a chain connecting the target and screw-closure, said link,

I rod and chain being arranged to swing the target and open its valve when either of the other valves or said closure is opened.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two Witnesses.

HIRAM F. GAINES.

l Vitn esses:

F. W. MYERS, E. ELMER BULLIS. 

